Life is busy. Especially these days. We’re still in a pandemic but are already starting to plan for the time when we get out. Due to that, there are still a lot of moving parts. There are still a lot of things that change under our feet (and probably will be for quite a while), and it takes deliberation and effort to keep our balance despite the changes.

However, changes are always opportunities as well, and how we will perceive and utilize changes depends 100% on our state of mind. Do we feel chased day by day, reacting to what’s going on, or are we taking a proactive stance to plan for what matters while also anticipating coming changes and readying our minds for them?

It is often recommended to start meditating to foster that open, attentive, flexible, but calm mindset that lets us recognize and embrace change and challenges as opportunities. I agree that meditation is one great way to clear our minds and get them focused on what matters.

However, there is more that can be done. I like to think about it more broadly as creating moments of Zen in your daily and weekly rhythms. Create predictable and stable islands in a sea of change. Those predictable routines and times for yourself will give you stability and direction. The best time to do that is right at the start of your day before things get busy.

Create moments of Zen, create moments of clarity at the beginning of your day and week.

How you start the day and week sets the tone for the remainder of that period. Have a rough start, and you will have a hard time recovering from it. Be in control when you start, and you have a much higher chance to remain in control.

There are many different ways to get off to a good start. You need to find what works best for you and what gives you that moment of Zen and clarity of mind for a terrific start into the day. Here are some ideas I heard from co-workers over the years:

Opening the day with a calm mind

• Get up early and tidy up your house (no, that’s not me)
• Get up early and tidy up your inbox and calendar
• Set your priorities for the day or week; don’t pick more than three – only one is even better
• Go for a walk or workout
• Sit in front of the fireplace and reflect on the coming day (my current favorite)
• Start with a meditation or a prayer
• Have a relaxed breakfast with loved ones

Closing out a day so you won’t worry about it through the night or weekend

• Shut down your computer and silence your cell phone
• Go for a run or workout
• Enjoy nature to get out of the ‘office’ frame of mind
• Close your day by reflecting on what you’re thankful for, count your blessings
• Plan out the week ahead on Fridays
• Get down to inbox zero on Fridays
• Organize your upcoming meetings for the next day or week and resolve any conflicts that you might worry about
• Before you go into the weekend, have all open actions either scheduled for a specific time next week or consciously deprioritized

Plan proactively and be in control, don’t react tactically like a leaf in the storm!

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